Sylvester Deon Collins, 21, was indicted on three counts of rape, three counts of kidnapping with bodily injury, four counts of aggravated assault, two counts of burglary, aggravated sodomy and criminal attempt to commit aggravated sodomy. The indictments were returned by a grand jury last Wednesday but were not made public until Tuesday.

Collins lived with his parents in their trailer on Archer Grove Road near the Jackson County-Clarke County line. He remains in the Clarke County jail without bond. The case was assigned to Superior Court Judge Joseph Gaines. No court appearances have been scheduled.

Athens-Clarke police believe Collins, a poultry plant worker and Marine deserter, stalked and raped three college-age women in and around the downtown Athens area between July and October of last year. Investigators say DNA evidence taken from each victim matches the DNA in Collins' blood.

On July 30, a 23-year-old woman was raped after walking home from downtown in the early morning hours. The woman was rushed at the door of her Satula Avenue home, where a man forced his way inside and raped her.

On Aug. 27, a woman walking home in the early morning hours was abducted and raped near a College Avenue railroad trestle.

On Oct. 22, a 21-year-old University of Georgia student was rushed by a man while unlocking the door of her apartment near downtown. The man forced the woman into her home at gunpoint and raped her.

Police said a break in the case came Nov. 15, when an exotic dancer driving home from work was tailed by a man in a black Pontiac. The woman told police the man blocked her car with his own, got out and pointed a gun at her head. The woman threw the car into reverse, sped to a nearby convenience store and called police. Using the description provided by the victim, officers pulled Collins over minutes later on the Athens Perimeter.

Police obtained a warrant to draw Collins' blood for DNA comparison because of similarities between Collins and the description the rape victims gave investigators.

Police also said a gun seized from Collins' car matched the description of a gun used by the rapist. The blood sample was airlifted to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab in Decatur and a DNA match was made within 24 hours, authorities said.

Courts reporter Stephen Gurr can be reached at sgurr@onlineathens.com or (706) 208-2219.